Gotta fess up on this one. I fired expert on the range with the M-16 and did very well on the “Quick Kill” course. (unsighted close range reaction shooting) But when I was on point coming around a hairpin turn in a trail I saw an NVA soldier standing not more than 15 feet away. Both of us startled simultaneously and I let loose a full 20 round mag on full auto like a big dummy. He did the same thing probably with the 30 rounds in his AK. We both missed, turned around and got the hell out. A 5 minute firefight ensued with two dead NVA and no hits for them, and as usual they broke contact.
Talk about a meeting engagement!!! It taught me a great lesson about full auto and buck fever.
Hah! Love that story.. Your NVA is probably telling his grandkids about his close escape.
My radio operator and another guy turned a corner on a trail through some dense stuff and ran point blank into a VC who fired straight at them full auto. The radio operator flew backward through the air and landed on is back. We fired at the VC who got away clean - then ran over to see how bad things were with the radio operator. When we got to him, he was lying still on his back, eyes closed and we were frantically asking him how bad it was.
He slowly opened his eyes and said “is he gone yet?”. Not a scratch..